Shooting threat prompts Escondido school closures

AP

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A social media posting warning that bullets would fly at a charter high school and that the posting's alleged author would commit suicide after opening fire prompted the closure of the school and three sister campuses Friday, an administrator said.

Dennis Snyder, executive director of American Heritage Charter Schools, said he heeded police advice to close all four campuses for the day as a precaution.

"In the world we live in today, we're not going to take any chances," he said.

Police in the north San Diego suburb said the posting warned that the violence would happen at Escondido Charter High School at 10:30 a.m. Friday. Police learned about the posting Thursday afternoon and considered it a credible threat.

Police have not identified any suspects and said no arrests have been made.

Snyder said he couldn't provide the name of the alleged author and didn't know the social media site on which the comment was posted.

Police were not more specific about the nature of the threat in a statement released Friday. Lt. Neal Griffin, a department spokesman, did not immediately respond to a phone message.

The four schools — located within a half-mile of each other — were scheduled to reopen Tuesday for its 1,650 students, including 850 at the high school. They are closed Monday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day.